The morning air felt heavy as I stepped out of the car in front of the small office building. My hands trembled slightly as I clutched my tote bag, filled with documents, contracts, and the endless “what-ifs” that had been rattling around my mind for weeks.
This was supposed to be a simple meeting with a potential client for my business project, a chance to solidify the funding that could finally make everything I’d been working for take shape. But simple rarely felt simple anymore. The stakes were high, and the weight of responsibility felt suffocating.
Dean had offered to come with me, as he often did when he sensed I was anxious. But this time, I had insisted I handle it alone. “I need to do this myself,” I said firmly. “I need to prove to myself that I can.”
He had looked at me, th
